Seed Germination and Early Seedling Growth of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) Genotypes Under Salinity Stress

Salt stress causes deleterious impacts on the germination, growth, and productivity of various crop plants. Screening new cultivars regarding salt stress tolerance could enhance the growth and productivity of sorghum. In this regard, an experiment was conducted at the laboratory of the Department of Agronomy, Hajee Mohamad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU), Bangladesh, in October 2018 to find out salt tolerance based on seed germination and seedling growth traits. The experiment consisted of seven sorghum varieties, viz. Adan Gab, Karmici, Debuday, ESP/S01, Green Jambuplus, Jambo, and Elmi Jama, and three levels of salt stress, viz. 0, 100, and 200 mM NaCl-induced salt stress, laid out completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The seeds of the seven sorghum varieties were placed in plastic trays (20 cm x 10 cm) on a sand bed irrigated with tap water (control) and NaCl (100 and 200 mM salinity levels) solutions. Data were collected on germination character and seedling growth at parameters. The collected data were analyzed statistically and means were adjudged by DMRT at 1 and 5% level of probability. The results of the experiment revealed that salinity stress significantly reduced the germination percentage (GP) and germination rate (GR) of sorghum in all sorghum varieties, and the variety Debuday showed the highest values of GP and GR, while Karmici showed the lowest values under 100 and 200 NaCl stress. Moreover, the root and shoot lengths, fresh weights, and dry weights gradually decreased with salinity levels, and the minimum reduction was recorded in Debuday, whereas the maximum reduction was in the Karmici variety. Higher Na and lower K accumulation of the Debuday genotype can be treated as salt tolerant. Contrary, the salt tolerance index (STI) based on the root and shoot dry weight in the Debuday variety exhibited the highest values, and the Karmici variety exhibited the minimum values under salt stresses. The inhibition of GP and GR, and lengths and biomass weight of root and shoot, were at the minimum level, while, on the contrary, the values declined superficially in the Karmici variety. Therefore, it can be concluded that the variety Debuday is indorsed as a salt-tolerant sorghum variety, and Karmici is a more susceptible one, based on the seed germination and seedling growth properties.